Crimson Overcomes Fielding Errors, Weak Bats to Squeak by Brandeis, 3-2

The Crimson nine held off an eight-inning rally by a fired-up Brandeis team yesterday in a battle of pitchers to decision the Judges, 3-2, at Waltham.

Strong Brandeis pitching stifled the usually potent Crimson batters, never allowing Harvard to score more than one run in any inning and giving up only five hits all afternoon.

Ed Durso walked in the first inning to start the Crimson rally. Kevin Hampe bunted and reached first on a fielder's choice. Leigh Hogan walked to load the bases. The next batter up, Jim Stoekel, hit into a double play that scored Durso from third to give the Crimson a 1-0 lead.

The lead grew to 2-0 in the fourth inning. Stoekel slashed a single, then was cut down at second base on a fielder's choice by Joe Sciolla. Hal Smith singled, but was caught away from first in a nicely executed pick-off play.

Second baseman Ric LaCivita ripped the third Harvard single of the inning to push Sciolla across home for a 2-0 Crimson lead.

Nobody could mount any kind of offensive attack until the eighth inning, when the Crimson scored its last, and what turned out to be the winning, run.

Hampe reached first safely on his second walk, followed by Hogan, who also walked. One out later, Sciolla stroked a single, putting Harvard ahead 3-0.

Unearned Run

Brandeis hitters jumped on starting Pitcher Mike O'Malley in the bottom half of the eighth for three hits and two runs, one of them unearned. The first run scored on a bloop single. The second runner crossed the plate after catcher Rich Bridich made an overthrow trying to cut off the batter's attempt to reach second base.

Kim Shepard came on in relief of O'Malley and two fielding errors loaded the bases with two cuts. Shepard struck out the side and got the first three Brandeis batters in the ninth to ground out, preserving the victory for O'Malley.

O'Malley pitched well before he tired in the eighth, having given up only two hits until his collapse in the bottom of the inning. He struck out seven and only walked two batters in his 7 2/3 stint on the mound.